Page 69 of Ondine: Vol. 2

I can’t do it anymore. I can’t be afraid of her.

My shoulders give and my fingers heat to a passionate state as I trill the notes.

I let my control go. My body vibrates with the time signature, and the song slips into its frantic rhythm.

The song ends after four minutes.

My hands shake over the keys. A bead of sweat travels down the side of my face, joining more at my neck.

I slowly catch my breath and stand.

Fuck.

She said just to play the song. A pianist in a symphony orchestra doesn’t play a four minute song like she’s a melodramatic omega.

I grab my nest and face the judges. And I bow.

And they clap.

My ears ring, otherwise I might notice something in their claps. If they are unimpressed. Or perturbed.

My eyes dart up to the mezzanine but the lights are too bright above me, so I don’t see anything.

Did I miss any notes?

I dart my eyes to the piano.

“Thank you, Ondine. I understand how much work goes into an audition, and we appreciate your efforts. You’ve become an even better player than I remember. Can I ask you some questions?”

I think I say yes.

He asks me about my schedule and travel preferences. I have no idea what I answer. I’m confident. But I’m not even here. I’m with Omega Johanna in Austria two hundred years ago.

He asks me about my career goals.

I tell him I just want to perform.

My vision is blurry so I’m not sure how he reacts.

And I’m hot all over.

Oh no.

It’s not a heat spike. My bond sickness is rearing its ugly head. I can still keep it together. I just need an alpha. My alpha. I need Freddie.

I smile and bow my head and then exit the stage.

21

The Lighter Side

Shadow

Jake is going to fall off of this thing. He sees something wrong with the omega. Yeah there’s something wrong with her. She performed a four minute song to a nearly empty auditorium and yet bent space and time and made us all feel feelings some of us probably didn’t even know existed. Jake experienced “awe” and Sebastian and I were close behind him.

Jake hasn’t breathed. And he sees something with Ondine.

Her face is all red. The tail end of Jake’s tie shakes, indicating she’s trembling.